Treble Hearts
by Shadowhunter5801
Summary: "He sucks... He's an idiot... I hate him." It goes without saying that Clary Fray - aspiring music artist - is not the biggest fan of Jace Herondale - famous musician. Jace is cocky, arrogant, and one of Clary's biggest nightmares, but when a golden opportunity and a new reality show push the two together, as the saying goes: There's a thin line between love and hate.
1. Chapter 1

**HEY!** **WHAT'S UP?! SURPRISED?! WELL BOOM BABY. I'M BACK WITH A NEEEEEEW FIC! I WAS BORED SO I LITERALLY JUST SAT DOWN AND WENT WITH IT. LET'S SEE HOW THIS THING GOES! I'M HAPPY TO BE HERE WITH A NEW STORY! LOOKS LIKE YOU CAN'T GET RID OF ME YET! WELL ON YOU GO!**

"He sucks." I threw a piece of popcorn at the screen, "He's an idiot." Another piece, "I hate him." Isabelle rolled her eyes next to me, actually _eating_ the buttery goodness. I couldn't be bothered though. My full focus was devoted to the blonde on the screen, but it wasn't for the reason that _every girl in America_ was staring.

"You have to admit that he's hot." Izzy pushed me to say _something_ good about the guy, but, in my eyes, there was nothing to like, "I mean, that golden hair, those amber eyes." She moaned at the mere description of him. Needless to say, it made me sick to my stomach.

"He's…" I couldn't lie. He was very well structured, "Aesthetically pleasing to the eye." She buried her face in her hands, pausing the movie.

"Clary." She sighed, looking up at me, her dark brown eyes pleading, "You have to like the guy. Deep deep down inside. It's gotta be somewhere." I raised my eyebrows, but she wasn't done, "It's _Jace Herondale."_ She stressed the name as if it would change my mind, "How can you not fall in love with him?" I pinched the bridge of my nose, wondering how every female in the United States seemed to be infatuated.

"Let's see." I tapped my chin in mock thought, then held up a finger, "One, he's an ass." I held up another finger, "Two, he's a player." And another, final finger, "Three, he's an ass." Iz snorted, shaking her head, then she narrowed her eyes.

"You're in denial." She accused, and I was taken aback by the words. After processing it, I burst out laughing. It wasn't possible. _Me_ liking _Jace Herondale?_ That was never going to happen. Ever.

"I don't care how songs the guy has made." I said when I'd sobered up, but a smile was still on my lips, "I don't care how many girls he's slept with. I don't care about his money. I don't care about _him_." I shook my head, another chuckle escaping me. He might be a world famous musician, but he was the type of guy your daddy warned you about. Isabelle turned back to _E! News_ with a huff, and, by the grace of the gods, my other best friend waltzed in.

"Ew." He stopped when he saw the screen, and I snickered at Izzy's betrayed expression, "Why are you two even watching this?"

"My point exactly!" I threw my hands in the air, then gestured to Iz's hand, "She took the remote and won't give it back until this damn interview is over." He rolled his eyes, walking over to his girlfriend and prying the remote from her grip. He handed it to me with a smirk directed Isabelle's way, "I don't think your boyfriend is exactly excited about you gushing over another guy while he's here." I pointed out, and her protest died on her lips. Then, she turned her puppy dog eyes on me, "Don't." I warned, but I could already feel myself giving in, "Fine." I grumbled after a minute, and she cheered.

"Really Clary?" Simon groaned, "You were supposed to be strong." I turned to him, mock guilt clear on my face.

"Aww I'm sorry." I pushed my bottom lip out, "Is our little Simon jealous." He mumbled a string of words under his breath that I couldn't understand, "Seriously?" I held in a giggle, "You're honestly jealous?" He didn't say anything, just flipped me off before squeezing in between Isabelle and I, "You're something else…"

"Can it, Fray." He smacked me on the back of the head, and my jaw dropped. Oh no he didn't. A cunning smirk grew on my face as I brought my hand up, wiggling my fingers, "Clary…" His eyes widened, "I'm sorry. I'm so, so sorry. I regret my life decisions. Please don't-" I cut him off by jabbing my fingers into his side. He literally squealed, and I laughed maniacally, not stopping. There would be no mercy, "C-C-Clary." He tried to get out between his laughing spurts, "Sto-o-op." After what probably seemed like an eternity for him, I let up, leaning back into the cushions. With that, I turned to the television, for once paying attention to the show.

"… is your love life like?" I caught the tail end of the question. Jace offered the camera a heart-melting smile.

"I'm not tied down." Something cocky was bound to come out of his mouth next, "I'm single and ready to mingle." He winked, and I threw up a little in my mouth as Isabelle sighed dreamily. That got her a pinch on the arm, courtesy of Simon. Honestly, what he said was true. He'd _mingled_ with a lot of girls, but he hasn't ever settled down, and he probably never will. I glared at the screen, trying to burn a hole in his head with my mind. Needless to say, it didn't work.

"So, about your new single…" The reporter continued, but I tuned her out. The "ready to mingle" comment was enough of Jace Herondale for one day. Actually, it was enough of him for all of eternity. I didn't realize I was hissing curses at him until my two friends turned curious eyes on me. I mumbled some words under my breath that even I couldn't understand, and they just tilted their heads in curiosity. I waved a dismissive hand, so they turned back to the TV.

"I hate him." I threw a piece of popcorn at the screen, "I hate him." Another piece, "I hate him."

—

 _Ring_

The sound of my cell phone tore me from my sleep, but I just flipped over, burying my face in my pillow.

 _Ring_

It kept going.

 _Ring_

I realized it wasn't going to stop, so I picked it up, squinting my eyes until the caller ID came into focus.

 _Aline Penhallow_

With a sigh, I clicked the answer button.

"Clary, I have a _huge_ favor to ask you." Were the words that greeted me at 7:30 on a Sunday morning, "I need you to come down to the restaurant." She didn't wait for me to answer, and she sounded extremely panicked, "I only trust you with this, so please, please just get down here ASAP." Now, I was a little bit worried. Aline was usually one of the most calm and collected people I knew, but right now, she sounded like a madwoman.

"What's-" My voice was thick with sleep, so I cleared my throat, "What's going on? Is everything okay?"

"No time." She answered quickly, "I'm begging you. I don't even care if you're in uniform. Just come as fast as possible." Then, the call cut off, and I sat straight up in bed, staring at the phone in my hand. There had to be something seriously wrong. I'd never heard her that… frantic. Being the amazing friend and employee I am, I forced myself out of bed, wincing when my feet hit the cold floor. Nevertheless, I stood up and moved to my closet, throwing on whatever I grabbed first. It turned out to be a surprisingly cute outfit considering the way I'd chosen it, but that wasn't my main focus at the moment.

With one last forlorn glance at my bed, I grabbed my purse, then rushed out the door. Luckily, the hole-in-the-wall restaurant was just down the street from Izzy's and my apartment, so I didn't have to brave the NYC traffic. I found myself jogging toward the door, but I stopped when I saw two men in suits and sunglasses standing on either side of the front door. My eyes widened, and I fumbled through my bag for my phone. As if reading my mind, a text from Aline popped up on the screen.

 ** _Go through the back door_**

My mind immediately jumped to the worst possible conclusion. The mafia was holding Aline hostage, and they wanted me for my nonexistent fortune. They would kidnap both of us and take us to their underground fortress. Then, they-

I cut my thoughts off, shaking my head as I scurried toward the back alley. Sometimes I wondered about myself. I stopped in front of the entrance, taking a deep breath. I prepared myself for whatever was inside, then I knocked on the door. I didn't even have time to think before it opened, and a hand shot out and yanked me inside. I stumbled forward a little bit, almost crashing into the stove. Finally, I gained my bearings, turning to Aline.

"Clary," Her eyes were crazed as she paced back and forth, raking her fingers through her hair, "You're probably gonna hate me forever, but I know you're the only person who won't be starstruck and gush over him like a schoolgirl." Her breathing got faster, "I don't even know how this happened. I just picked up the phone, and a man was like _Hey, Jace Herondale wants to try out your restaurant. Do you mind opening it early just for him._ Then, they offered a bunch of money, so I-"

"Wait a second." I cut her off, finally realizing what she'd said, "Did you say _Jace Herondale_?" My eyes were just about as wide as hers as I began shaking my head vigorously, "You can't seriously be asking me this."

"Clary." She sounded more desperate than ever, "Please. You're literally the only person who won't go all crazy fangirl on him." I opened my mouth to protest, but she pulled the puppy dog eyes on me, and I couldn't resist.

"Fine." I grumbled, "You're so lucky I love you. But you're doing the cooking. I'm only the waitress." She launched herself at me, throwing her arms around my neck and almost choking me to death.

"I love you." She squeezed me one more time, then she pulled back, and I gasped dramatically for breath. She rolled her eyes, but she was still beaming, "You're so amazing." I couldn't help but return the smile, "Go get 'em, tiger." She gave me a reassuring pat on the shoulder, and I closed my eyes, focusing on breathing in and out. Normal girls would be dying at this point. Not me though. Well, I was, but it was the kind of dying that happens to a snail when salt gets poured on it.

With a final salute Aline's way, I walked out toward my doom, plastering a smile on my face. There the golden devil sat, laughing with an extremely… sparkly… man. I stopped at the table, and I politely cleared my throat to get their attention.

"Would you gentlemen like anything to drink?" I asked, earning a warm smile from Sparkles.

"I'll just have some water." He then turned to his friend, "Jace?" I spun to face the other man, and I clenched my teeth as he openly checked me out.

"I'll take a tall glass of you." He winked, and it pained me to keep my nice expression up. Breathe, Clary. Breathe.

"I was thinking more along the lines of liquid, Sir." He simply chuckled at my words. C'mon, Clary. You can get through this.

"I'll take the same as Magnus." He finally replied.

"Alrighty." I turned to face Spark- Magnus, "Cool name." Then, I spun on heel before another idiotic word could escape Jace's mouth. I burst through the kitchen doors, glaring at Aline who was leaning against the counter, "Ask me what he wanted to drink." I demanded, and she raised an eyebrow.

"What did he want to drink?" She followed my order cautiously.

" _A tall glass of you._ " I mimicked his deep voice, "Meaning me." I felt the need to clarify, and her mouth formed a perfect 'o', "My point exactly. Do you get my hatred now?"

"What I get…" A smirk grew on her face, "Is that he wants some. You should totally tap-"

"Not. Another. Word." I growled in warning, and her eyes widened a fraction, "I will _not_ do what you just started to say." I shivered a bit, "And I need to get their waters out." With that, I turned my back on her, scooping some ice into two cups then filling them with water. I gritted my teeth yet again, walking through the doors to my own personal hell, "Here you go." I set the glasses down in front of them before pulling out my pad and pen, "Are you ready to order?" They both nodded, and I turned to Magnus first.

"I'll just take a Chili Dog." I scribbled it quickly, "Thank you." My heart lifted a little bit, because most customers don't take the time to say that. My mood definitely shifted when I turned to Jace though.

"And what would you like?" I worked hard to keep the venom out of my voice, and surprisingly, it worked.

"I could just eat you up." He flirted _again_ , and I punched him several times in my imagination.

"Sir, what would you like." The kindness was gradually seeping out of my voice, being replaced with stubbornness.

"I'll take a cheeseburger." Then, he seemed to think for a second, "No onions." I wrote it down, nodding curtly before collecting their menus. Controlling the urge to stomp l like a five-year-old, I rushed back to the kitchen.

"Cheeseburger. Chili Dog." Were the only three words I spoke to Aline. Needless to say, I was pissed at the world. This was not the best day I'd ever had in my life. I drummed my fingers impatiently against the table as she moved to cook the food. The only sound to be heard was the patty sizzling on the grill until Aline spoke.

"What did he do this time?" She questioned, and I sighed deeply.

"He said he could _eat me up._ " I grumbled, and I could almost _hear_ Aline's smirk, even though her back was to me, "Shut up." I muttered, my voice deadly.

"I didn't say anything." She defended herself, finally turning around. Just like I predicted, she was wearing an evil grin, "But now I will. You _have_ to get some. It's, like, every girl's dream." I buried my face in my hands, letting out a deep sigh.

"Why don't you go out there then?" I shot back, "Why don't you _Get some_?"

"You're really asking me that?" She raised an eyebrow, and I nodded, "You realize that I'm in a relationship, right?" I was tired, so no, I hadn't caught my mistake. There was no way I would tell her that though, "And you realize it's with Helen? As in a _girl_." I visibly winced, realizing just how stupid I was. Sue me for being tired.

"I think I have to go serve them." I grabbed both of the plates, almost running out into the diner. With minimal stumbles, I reached the table, and I set the plates down then stepped back, "Enjoy your food." I hurried away before anyone could say anything else, and I realized just how many levels of screwed I was.

After waiting for about an hour and talking to Aline for most of it, I walked back out, ready to set the check down. I approached the two men, and they halted conversation to look at me. I shifted uneasily under their gazes, then realized _why_ they were staring at me.

"Here's your check." I smiled brightly. Of course, it was fake. I turned to leave, but a hand around my wrist stopped me.

"Take it." There was already a credit card in the slot when Jace handed it back to me. I offered another superficial smile before turning on heel and walking to the cash register. I rung it up, noticing that there was already a signature and a tip listed on the receipt. It was a fairly average tip, so I couldn't complain. I was finally finished and ready to get the golden boy out of my hair, but it seemed that fate was not on my side.

"Here you go." I handed back the card and customer's copy, but before I could get out the normal _"Thank you"_ , Jace was up in my personal space bubble, his hands on my hips.

"Jace…" I heard Magnus warn, but the man in question paid no heed.

"How about you come back to my place." He whispered in my ear, and I clenched my fists, "Then, I can give you your _real_ tip." And the line had been crossed. I jerked away, taking a few steps back to gain my bearings, but that was when everything came crashing down. Oh. No. He. Didn't. That was too far.

With that thought in mind, I walked silently over to the table and picked up Jace's half-full glass of water. I didn't even take a second to think as I rose up on my toes, tipping the glass so that the water drenched all of his pretty blonde hair. His mouth dropped as he stared at me in shock.

"Have a nice day, Sir." My voice dripped with mock sweetness, "It was a _pleasure_ serving you."

And then I sashayed away.

 ***Wiggles eyebrows* So how did you like THAT?! With feisty Clary and player Jace, where can you go wrong?! I can't wait to see where this goes. So, with that, I'm off to continue writing! I love you my faithfuls!**

 **3 Shadowhunter5801**


	2. Chapter 2

**Hola, my Faithfuls (if you haven't read my other fic - The Bachelor - this is what I call my followers. Creepy, I know. But** ** _anyways_** **, this is** ** _kind of_** **a filler chapter, but it's** ** _kind of_** **not. I don't quite know what to call it. I can tell you that it has something** ** _very_** **important in it, and it is so worth reading. I can't wait to see what you all think. For those of you who** ** _have_** **seen the musical** ** _Wicked_** **I think you'll like this (comment if you have or haven't in the reviews, I would** ** _love_** **to know. If you** ** _have_** **, tell me your favorite song). If you** ** _haven't_** **seen** ** _Wicked_** **, I recommend listening to** ** _Defying Gravity_** **from that musical for this chapter. It's the only way you'll get how absolutely** ** _hard_** **and** ** _amazing_** **it is to sing this song. ANYWAYS, I want to thank my first follower - Lilliansolis - for believing in me! All of you are absolutely amazing and beautiful - or handsome if you're a guy - and you should always know that. ANYWAYS! ON WITH THE STORY!**

I walked into the apartment, immediately going to the living room and flopping down on the couch. I was surprised to say the least about the reactions I got. Except for Jace. Jace stormed out like a three year old. Need I say more? Magnus, on the other hand, came up and _complimented_ me. He told me that there weren't a lot of girls - people, actually - that had the guts to do that, and Aline ended up not firing me. She was… proud of me. Jace may have thought he was whispering softly, but she heard it from where she stood behind the counter, and she said he deserved it. All in all, my day turned out pretty good. That is until Isabelle Lightwood appeared in front of me.

" _What the hell!?"_ She yelled, and my eyes grew wide.

"What…?" I trailed off, not knowing why she was so mad.

"I wake up." She growled, "And you were _gone_. No note, no explanation, no call. You just… just disappeared. For all I know, you could've been kidnapped! I mean, it was eight o'clock on a _Sunday._ You usually sleep until _ten_. So you'd better have a damn good reason for this, Fray." I bit my lip, a little fear hitting me. A mad Isabelle Lightwood was not something to be taken lightly, because she was downright _scary._

"I was at the diner." I blurted, not remembering (until a second later, of course) that I would have to explain why. I racked my brain for some sort of excuse as she glared at me, waiting, with her arms crossed and a raised eyebrow, "Aline had to open it today for a… special guest. Apparently, she got paid a bunch of money to do it."

"And who was this _Special Guest_?" She questioned, voice turning curious. I bit my lip, looking down at my lap. I was absolutely terrible at lying, and it was only a matter of time before I broke under her stare. I just knew that, if I told her, she would freak out. Then, she would kill me for dumping water all over her precious Jace Herondale, "Well," She prompted, "We don't have all day."

"Actually, we do." I tried to change the subject, "It's Sunday. Neither of us have plans." Izzy didn't say anything. She just bored holes into my soul. That was my breaking point, "Jace Herondale." The words flew out before I could stop them, and I slammed a hand over my mouth. Her jaw slowly dropped, so my first thought was to run. The second I took my first step, she grabbed my arm, yanking me back down. She muttered a slew of unintelligible noises before taking a deep breath.

"And why, Clarissa Adele Fray, did you not think of calling me?" Izzy's voice was deadly calm, and I swallowed hard.

"I don't think they would've let you in." I finally came up with an answer, only then realizing that it was _actually true_ , "I mean, there were two bodyguards at the front door, and Aline wouldn't have opened the back door for you." She sighed, and I offered her an apologetic smile. Suddenly, as if a switch was flipped, a wild grin lit up her face, and she sat down next to me.

"Tell. Me. Everything." She commanded, but her tone was happy. I knew it wouldn't be for long when I told her what had happened. I stayed silent for a minute wondering how to get out of this, but my thoughts were interrupted by Iz grabbing my shoulders and shaking me like a rag doll, "Clary." She whined, "Don't do this to me."

"He was an ass." I batted her hands away, finally giving her an answer, "He flirted with me. He paid. He left. That's it." My voice didn't waver, and I was extremely proud of that, but I was currently terrified by Izzy's comically wide eyes.

"He… He… He…" She couldn't get her sentence out, so I just waited, raising my eyebrows and gesturing for her to go on, "He flirted with you?" Her voice was dreamy, and I could almost see the fantasies playing in her head. Then, something happened, and a frown slowly formed on her lips, "What did you do?" If her voice sounded accusing now, it would be _furious_ when she found out what I'd done. I shrugged nonchalantly, playing with my hands in my lap, but she wasn't having it, "Clary, I know you. You _hate_ the guy with a burning passion. You wouldn't let him get away with that, so _what did you do?"_ I stared down, refusing to meet her eyes.

"Pouredwateronhim." I muttered it low and fast so that she wouldn't be able to understand, but it wasn't enough. Her jaw slowly dropped, then her mouth started opening and closing repeatedly, not knowing what to say. I bit my lip, drumming my fingers on my leg. I was going to die. I was going to die. I was going to die.

"Clarissa Adele Fray." She hissed my full name for the second time in the span of an hour, "I will give you five seconds. _Run_." It took me about two precious seconds to process, then it finally got through my thick skull. I squeaked, jumping up and taking off. My first thought was to put a table in between us, which was a good idea, seeing as Iz was right on my heels. For a few minutes, she chased me around it, but I always kept just enough distance between us. After a little while, both of us got tired, and we placed our hands on our respective sides of the table.

"I didn't go in with the _intention_ of doing that." I got out in between my panting, "He was being _such an asshole."_

"What, exactly, did he do that made you go _that far?"_ Her jaw was clenched tight, and her knuckles were white from how tight she was gripping the wood.

"So, I was bringing back the check, right? All nice and civil," Now it was my teeth that were crushed together, but I managed to tell the last part of the story, "then, the bastard had the nerve to say that I should come home with him so he could give me my _real tip."_ Isabelle looked like she was about to pass out, as in her eyes were rolling back in her head pass out.

"Izzy!" I yelled, snapping her out of her daze, but she still couldn't talk, "So do you see why I hate the guy _now_?" Without a word, she slowly nodded her head, and I smiled, my anger quickly being replaced by triumph.

"Seriously?" A new voice asked, and I whipped around to find Simon standing there, two grocery bags in his hands, "Jace wouldn't do that." Simon would _never in a million years_ admit it, but he was "secretly" a Jace Herondale fangirl, "And if he did, I'm sure he was joking." I shot my best guy friend a bland look, and he shrugged helplessly. There was so much tension in the air that you could cut it with a knife.

"Food?" Si broke the silence, holding out the plastic bags that were no doubt filled with candy and other junk. Just what I needed.

"Praise the Lord hallelujah." I wailed before throwing my arms around him.

—

"How do we always end up watching this?" I groaned, taking a bite of my fifth chocolate bar. How was I skinny? I had no idea.

"Because Izzy always ends up with the remote and won't give it back." Simon supplied, and the girl in question nodded in affirmation. We were watching _E! News._ Again. Luckily, this time, there wasn't a certain blonde superstar's face on the screen. The host, whose name I still hadn't bothered to remember, was talking about some celebrity that did something scandalous and blah blah blah. Needless to say, I wasn't a huge fan.

"And all you aspiring musicians out there," My attention snapped up at the words. Yes, I sang, and I knew I was decent at it, but I just didn't know what to do with it. There was, like, a one in a million chance that I would _actually_ make a living with it, so it was just a distant dream. I still wanted to pay attention, still wanted to grasp at the last few straws.

" _E! News_ is hosting a contest. A _big_ contest." The host paused for effect, then, after several excruciating moments, went on, "ABC will be airing a new reality show, starting this summer, and they've asked for our help with selecting a cast, which just might include _you_." Simon and Isabelle's heads snapped toward me, and I could almost _see_ the gears in their heads turning. I didn't care though. All that mattered was the opportunity in front of me, no matter how little my chances were.

"Treble Hearts will be centered around an undiscovered artist and, drumroll please…" There was another soul crushing wait, "An unknown mentor." Well that was disappointing, "The show will document the journey as these two people work together to create an album for the rookie, record deal included." A squeal escaped Isabelle, but I ignored her, "So what do _you_ have to do? Tomorrow and tomorrow _only_ , submissions will be taken on ABC's website. Fill out a simple application, then attach a recording of you singing a song - raw and unedited - that shows off your voice. The show will announce the winner in a very… special way." The host winked at the camera, "And that's all for Treble Hearts. Now, let's go to-"

Before the next sentence was even said, I was up and out. I sprinted to my room, grabbing my guitar and running back over to my friends. They seemed to have read my mind, because the TV was already off.

"Oh my god." Isabelle's hands were flailing, "You have to do this." She grabbed my arm, tugging it repeatedly and almost making me drop my instrument, "You have to Clary. You _have_ to." I shook her off and tried to glare at her, but the smile wouldn't leave my face. I had a _chance._ No matter how absolutely tiny it was, I had a _chance_.

"Why do you think I got the guitar?" My grin grew, "So, what should I sing?"

"All About That Base." Iz yelled.

"I Write Sins Not Tragedies." Simon shouted at the same time.

"No, and no." I vetoed both of them without thought. Meghan Trainor seemed like a good person, but her music just wasn't my type. I _loved_ Panic! At the Disco, but it wouldn't show my vocal range off. I wanted to do something… "Unique." I told them, "It has to be unique."

"I'm just throwing this out there…" Izzy trailed off, a nervous look on her face, "What about Iris?" My eyes narrowed, and she winced.

"Let's try to stay _away_ from _any song_ by Jace Herondale." I hissed, not mad at her, but I was mad at the blonde I poured water all over. I smirked a little at the thought, and Iz rolled her eyes, obviously reading my mind.

"What's that look for?" Si asked curiously, and I realized I hadn't told him.

"Well…" I trailed off, a devious smirk spreading across my lips, "I may or may not have served said superstar at the diner." I paused to increase the suspense, "And I may or may not have poured a glass of water all over him." Simon's jaw slowly dropped, and a slew of noises escaped his mouth, reacting much like his girlfriend. I let out a maniacal laugh, then refocused on the task at hand, "Let's think."

And that started an hour of brainstorming.

"A musical!" I shouted out of nowhere after we named every popular song we could think of, "I need to do something from a musical." My two friends both raised their eyebrows in question, "Everyone will be doing something everyone knows, but this will be the best, because there's less to compare it to." I thought for a minute, "I mean, I know that will be _super hard_ to replicate, but I think I can do it." Slowly, they nodded, and they seemed to like the idea more by the second.

"Defying Gravity." Isabelle said after barely a minute of waiting, "It'll be a challenge, but it'll show that you can seriously _bring it._ Plus, Elphaba is goals." I chuckled, knowing it was true. We'd seen Wicked probably a thousand times because we loved it so much, which made it absolutely perfect, "Are you ready now?" Her question made my eyes grow wide, "I mean, it has to be done by tomorrow, so we might as well finish it tonight so we don't have to worry about it last minute." I nodded, warming up to the idea. Finally, I let out a deep sigh.

"Let's do this."

—

Three hours. We had been trying for _three hours_. My voice was tired, I was tired, Isabelle was tired, Simon was tired. We were all just _tired_. The only thing keeping me going was warm tea and sugar. I was a perfectionist to say the least, so if there was a _single_ wrong note, I had to start over.

My problem, as expected, was the strong part. It was way harder than it seemed, even for a good singer. Needless to say, I failed almost every time. The few copies I would get it, I messed up somewhere else, and it was _killing_ me.

"Everyone who plays Elphaba is a goddess." I groaned, burying my face in my hands, "I will _never_ see Wicked the same way again." Both Si and Izzy nodded in agreement, and I sighed, ready to go at it again, "We can do this. Third hour's a charm." I clapped my hands together, reluctantly doing a few more warm-ups to get my voice ready.

 _C'mon Clary._ I mentally encouraged myself, _You're a_ great _singer. You. Can. Get. This._

I took a deep breath, and Isabelle raised her eyebrows in question, and my head bobbed up and down. She clicked the _Record_ button on the computer, and I started. Even though I was tired, my voice on the first line came out so perfectly that even _I_ was surprised. As the song went on, it only got better and better, and I got more confident as it progressed. Finally, I hit the dreaded part. This time, I belted it louder than I ever had before, and I poured my entire being into those lines.

"And nobody in all of Oz, no wizard that there is or was, is ever gonna bring," I sang, then pushed the last words out of my mouth as passionate as possible, " _Me down! Oh whoa!"_ I held the last not for as long as I could, then stopped, panting for breath. Isabelle pressed the _End_ button, then turned to me with a wild smile.

"That was it." Simon whispered, but there was so much conviction in his voice, "Clarissa Adele Fray. _That. Was. It."_ After I was done sucking in deep breaths and calming myself down, I rocketed up, throwing myself into his arms so hard that he stumbled back. I repeated the action with Izzy, then we all started laughing. It was that kind of laugh that brought tears to your eyes and made your gut ache. Then, we turned to the monitor. After sharing quick glances, Simon walked over and pressed the _Play_ button. Our jaws dropped as we listened to my voice, and I'm proud to say that I started crying.

"This is it guys." My voice came out soft, "This is it."

 **SOOOOOO… Clary has officially entered the contest. Let's see just how far she makes it. I have one more question for you though:**

 **If you won the contest, who would you want your mentor to be?**

 **Sincerely, with all of my heart,**

 **-Shadowhunter5801**


	3. Chapter 3

HELLO AGAIN! I know I've been MIA (especially with The Bachelor, but I will finish it. I swear on all the chocolate in existence). SO HERE'S THE NEW CHAPTER! I know this moves just a little fast, but I just have to get to the last part. I mean, I've been dying to write the last line (because I kind of love it). OKAY! I'll shut up now! READ ON!

PS I just found this little line thing and I like it!  
PPS- The stupid Doc is deleting my italics and bolds, so bear with me.

* * *

Sixty days. Sixty freaking days since I'd submitted my recording. Sixty days, and I'd heard absolutely nothing. There was no rejection, no acceptance. Absolutely nothing. Needless to say, I was dying inside, very slowly, might I add. Currently, I was sitting on my bed with a notebook in front of me, trying to lose myself in writing. Creating songs was my escape, a way to express any emotion that I wanted, a way that made everything okay in the world, a way that I could make something magnificent.

"Ugh." I groaned, throwing my pencil at a wall and burying my face in my pillow. It just wasn't working. For some reason, I couldn't get the damn contest out of my head at the moment. It was almost like the universe was telling me that I failed, "Why, Clarissa?" I hissed to no one, "Why do you have to freaking torture yourself." The room simply stayed silent. That is until a frantic Isabelle Lightwood burst through the door.

"Get dressed. Look nice. Now." She commanded, and I sat up again to toss her a glare. Had it not been for the crazed look in her eyes, I would've told her to leave me alone to let me suffer in peace. I could tell something was going on though, something big, "Clary!" She growled, and her voice told me there was no getting around it. I huffed out a sigh, getting up and roaming into the bathroom without a word. I didn't know why, but I had the instinct to actually make an effort. Maybe it was the way Izzy was acting, maybe it was a gut feeling, but I didn't care. All I wanted was to look good.

One glance at Iz told me that I needed to hurry, so I did. I styled my hair into an intricate up-do that wouldn't take too long, then put a minimal amount of makeup on, trying to keep my face looking natural. When I turned around, she was gone, and I rolled my eyes, rushing back to my bedroom. There was an outfit already laid out for me, and I have to admit that it was very… fashionable, obviously picked out by my best friend. I threw it on, checking in the mirror to make sure I didn't have anything on my face. That was when I noticed that my top was backward, so, with an annoyed string of profanities, I flipped it, which took me more time than it should have.

"…yourselves comfortable." I caught the tail end of what Iz was saying as I began to walk down the hall, "She might take a little bit." I snorted at her words, wondering how the girl who spent hours in front of a mirror could say that about me. Nevertheless, I rounded the corner. What I saw made me stop dead.

"Holy shit." Was the last thing I whispered before the world went black.

"Clary… Clary… Clary." I faintly heard someone calling my name, feeling something lightly tapping my cheek.

"Here, let me try." A different voice spoke, and shortly after, someone's hand cracked across my face. I sat straight up, suddenly wide awake, then turned to glare at the culprit. My brother sat next to me, a shit-eating grin on his face and no remorse in his eyes.

"Jonathan Christopher Fray!" I was about to start screaming at him when I halted. How, when, and why the hell was he here? For a moment, I couldn't remember anything, then, all of it hit me like a freight train. I gasped, shooting to my feet, my eyes flicking all around me. There were cameras everywhere, and I started feeling lightheaded again. Sensing this, my brother got up, then shook me by the shoulders, "What…" I finally gained my bearings, the world coming into focus, "What's going on?" Suddenly, Ryan Seacrest was in front of me. Ryan freaking Seacrest was in front of me.

"Hello Clary." He greeted with a smile on his face, acting like the whole fainting fiasco hadn't happened.

"H-Hey." I stuttered. I had no idea what was going on, absolutely none. You're dreaming. My mind rationalized, You're just dreaming. I knew that wasn't true though, because everything felt so real. Just to make sure, I pinched my arm hard, then winced at the pain, "I… just… what?" I finally got out the stumbled words, completely humiliating myself. I couldn't be blamed though, because it wasn't an everyday thing for Ryan freaking Seacrest to show up in my apartment.

"I'm guessing you want to know why, exactly, we're here." He offered, and I nodded numbly, not able to stay still. I had to clasp my hands together to stop them from shaking as Ryan paused for suspense, "You, my friend, are going to be a star." My eyes slowly widened at the statement, and I couldn't believe it. No, this wasn't happening, not to me. It wasn't possible, "Specifically of the show Treble Hearts." He finished, and a slew of unintelligible words escaped my mouth. Ohmygod. Ohmygod. Ohmygod. I didn't register anything else until Ryan's chuckle sounded out in the silent room.

"Did this really just happen?" I whispered, "Have I actually understood?" I blushed a little at the automatic Wicked reference, but that thought was quickly pushed to the back of my mind, "I… Um…" I had no idea what to say, but Ryan was patient as I tried to control my total freak-out, "Wow." I finally collected myself, "Thank you." A giddy smile began to make my cheeks ache, "This is such an honor."

"You just have to do one thing for us." Ryan said before he turned to the sound guy, who gave him a quick thumbs up, "Sing for us. We just have to make sure you sound as good as you did on the recording. Any song you want." I gulped, pressure beginning to build up in my chest. I wasn't good when I was put on the spot, but I had to power through it. At first, when I opened my mouth, no sound came out. The cameras around were so… intimidating, and imagining everyone naked was just flat out weird, so I closed my eyes.

"Sun in the sky." The tune escaped my mouth of its own accord, so I closed my eyes, just letting everything go, "You know how I feel…" I continued on with the song, and I let the music flow through my body. It took over my mind, my heart, my soul. I didn't realize how good I had done until I hit the last note and opened my eyes to see everyone staring at me with either open mouths or wide smiles. My breaths were labored as I took everything in, relishing in the moment, my moment.

"Wow." Ryan was the first to speak, "That was amazing. You are definitely the girl from the tape." Heat rose to my cheeks as I looked down at my shuffling feet.

"So…" I trailed off, not knowing what to say or do. Finally, I found my words, "What's next?" Yes, those were the only words I found. To be honest, I wasn't looking that hard.

"Well Clary…" A devious smirk spread across Ryan freaking Seacrest's lips, "You've got a one way ticket to Los Angeles." The breath literally flew out of my lungs. If anything, I thought they would choose a star in New York, but I guess they had no problem paying for one little ticket. I mean, it was ABC for crying out loud. They probably could've bought me a house to go with it, "You'll be staying with your mentor." I almost choked on my spit. Not only would I be working with a world famous musician, but I would be staying with them in their house.

"Who's my mentor?" I finally squeaked, the shock slowly giving way to excitement.

"That is to be announced." Ryan winked at me, then fell silent.

"And… Cut!" A cameraman shouted, then all of the equipment was out of the apartment before I could say Holy crap. Ryan stayed behind after everyone else left, but it was all so sudden. One second, they were there, telling me I was going to be the star of a reality show, the next second, they were up and out. I was stunned to say the least, and it only seemed like the blink of an eye until it was just the five of us (Me, Simon, Isabelle, Ryan freaking Seacrest, and Jonathan).

"So…" I finally collected myself for the umpteenth today, "Um, would you like anything to drink? I'm sorry, we don't have a wide variety. I mean, I wasn't exactly expecting this, and…" The Stop talking look my friends and brother were shooting me made me shut up, and I offered Ryan a sheepish smile.

"I'm alright." He patted the place on the couch next to him, "Just sit down. I want to get to know you."

"Y-You" I gestured to him, "want to get to know m-me?" I gestured to myself, just to make sure, and he laughed.

"We're gonna be spending a lot of time together." He pointed out, "So why not?" I nodded, quickly warming up to the hollywood star. I sat down, and the rest of my group followed my lead, plopping down in various places in the living room, "What's your story?" Was the first question he asked, "How did you get into music?" I bit my lip, seriously contemplating the question. I couldn't tell him the full reason I'd started singing, but I could give him some of it.

"As long as I can remember, I've loved music." My entire demeanor loosened up as I started to talk, "It's something that's gotten me through a lot in life, and… well, one day, I couldn't find a song that I liked on the radio. It just popped in my head that maybe I could learn to play it.

"I begged my parents to let me have piano lessons when I was seven, and my mom finally convinced my dad that it would be good for me. She's always believed that creativity is good for the soul. That's how I started playing. It at first it was piano, then I moved on to guitar. One day, I just started humming while I was playing, and I thought it sounded pretty good, so I sang the words. From that day on, I would sing with my music, but it would just be to myself. At least it was until my mom heard me. It wasn't something I ever thought about pursuing until college, but I know the music industry is a hard one, so I never really did much about it. When this competition came up, I just thought "What the hell?" and did it." I shrugged, "That's my life story."

"Why Defying Gravity?" Ryan smiled, "I mean, that's an amazing song, and it perfect suits your voice, but why that song?"

"Exactly what you said." I could feel the sparkle in my eyes that came along with talking about music, "It's not something that everyone would choose. It's not some pop song that's always on the radio. It's not something so… expected." He hummed in agreement, nodding his head, then rose to his feet, clapping his hands.

"I'm sorry this visit was so quick, but I have to go." He told me, and I got up to say goodbye. I offered my hand to shake, but instead of returning the gesture, he pulled me into a hug, "Here." When he pulled back, he took something from his pocket, placing it in my hand, "Bye, Clary! I'll see you soon." He winked, then he was out the door. I stared after him for what had to be a couple minutes, then finally looked down at what he gave me.

"Holy crap." I whispered, then my voice turned into a yell, "Holy motherfreaking crap!" That was when I screamed at the very top of my lungs, and everyone else laughed, hugging me one by one.

"I'm so proud of you, Little Sis." Jonny was the last person to get to me, squeezing me the tightest of all.

"Can't… breathe." I choked out, and he released me with a chuckle. The maniacal smile never left my face, even as I gasped dramatically for breath, "Thanks, Big Bro." I finally got the words out, then threw myself at him yet again. He spun me around like he always had when we were little, and that's exactly how I felt. Like a little kid. No cares, no regrets, just happiness, "I'm going to LA baby!" I yelled at the top of my lungs after I stepped back from Johnny, and everything was amazing.

Everything was absolutely amazing.

"Clary." A soft voice roused me from my sleep, and I opened my eyes to be met with the sight of the inside of a private jet. For a second, I was confused, but everything quickly came back to me when Ryan freaking Seacrest's face came into view, "We're here." He smiled, and I beamed at him, resisting the urge to squeal like a tween at a Justin Bieber concert. I almost forgot to unbuckle my seatbelt before shooting to my feet and bounding out of the plane, "Calm down." Ryan laughed, setting a hand on my shoulder as I bounced up and down.

"Oh my gosh." I whispered as a sleek black limo rolled up, followed by a van. I watched in shock as a camera crew exited the van, coming toward us. Ryan led me over to them, and everyone began to get situated while I waited for someone to tell me what, exactly, was going on. Then, people started positioning me and getting me ready to speak. It was all a blur of excitement until they were finally ready.

"Okay, Clary." Ryan started, "I'm going to ask you questions, but my voice will be taken out, so I need you to sort of repeat them for me. Would you mind doing that?" I took a deep breath, shaking my head. After a quick second, the man holding the microphone signaled for us to go, "So, what are you feeling right now?" Ryan questioned, and I froze for a minute.

"Well." I collected myself, "I don't know how to describe how I feel." I bit my lip in thought, racking my brain for the right words, "I mean, there's nothing that's happened to me quite like this. It's my dream to be a singer, and I never thought I'd get this golden opportunity. I feel like Charlie when he got the golden ticket for the Chocolate Factory. It's just this mix of amazement and a dream come true. That's all I can say, because the rest of it is more than words, more than anything I could ever imagine.

"Perfect." Ryan shot me a thumbs-up, "Now, are you excited to meet your artist?"

"Oh my gosh I can't wait to see who my artist is." I didn't even have to think about this reply, "I just hope it's someone I love. I'm inspired by so many that I think it would be hard for me to get a bad one. Actually, I don't think there are any bad ones." Except Jace Herondale, but I'm not saying that out loud, "I can't wait, because the suspense is killing me."

"Good job, Clary." Ryan complimented, and I blushed slightly, "That was amazing." Then, the cameras went down, and he was back at my side. He slung an arm across my shoulders, leading me over to the limo, and a chauffeur came around to open the door. I ducked inside, sitting down as excitement bubbled up in me. I couldn't help but smile like a maniac while we drove off. The trip was mostly silent, because if I opened my mouth, I was sure a string of screams would come out.

After what seemed like an eternity, we reached our destination, and the driver once again opened the door to let me out. I faced an unfamiliar mansion. For a second, there was no one out there, but the gates quickly opened to reveal my one and only mentor.

"Holy frickin crap." Was the only thing I could whisper, because, of all the stars I could've gotten, the man standing in front of me was none other than Jace motherfreaking Herondale.

Kill. Me. Now.

* * *

MUAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! I'VE GOTTEN JACE BACK IN! DO YOU GUYS LIKE THE LAST LINE? BECAUSE I DO! Okay, so, leave your answers to the next questions in the reviews:

1\. What are the best TV shows on Netflix?  
2\. How do you think Jace will react?

PS Using the line thingy again!

-Shadowhunter5801


	4. Chapter 4

**HOLA! Guess who's** ** _back?!_** **(The answer is me, btw - just in case you didn't get it ;P) I'm so sorry about not updating for a couple months… Hehe. I have an explanation! I swear! I'm writing a book - like an** ** _actual book_** **\- shocking, I know. Well, the first draft is my mother's Christmas present, so I've got 80 more pages to write by the beginning of December. Wish me luck! Anyways… Enough about me. I think I left you on a big enough cliff hanger to continue…**

 _Kill. Me. Now._

Our eyes grew wide, then we seemed to gain our composure at the same time. I plastered on a fake smile, and he did the same, but the looks in our eyes were a different story. He appeared to want to murder me, and I bet I shared that same gaze. Then, my smirk turned genuine. He'd remembered me, but it wasn't a good way, something even better.

"Oh. My. Gosh." I forced a squeal, then acted like a collected myself as I walked over to him, "It's really you! It's really _Jace Herondale!"_ I wrapped my arms lightly around him, and he tentatively returned the hug, both of us tense. We didn't part on good terms, and I was totally fine with that, but did he really _have_ to be my mentor? Of all the people in the music industry, it was him. Now, I didn't know whether the contest was a blessing or a curse in disguise.

"Hey, Baby." He winked at me when I pulled back, and I resisted the urge to frown, "What's your name?"

"Clary. Clary Fray." I introduced myself for the first time, and he offered his lady killer smile. For a while, we were silent, neither of us knowing exactly what to say to each other. Then, Ryan stepped in, easing the tension.

"So, I'm guessing you're a fan." He smirked, and I pasted yet another grin on my face.

"You could say that." I laughed softly, hoping the cameras would stay on us forever so I wouldn't strangle the Golden Boy in front of me, "I have _very_ strong feelings for his music and his personality." Were they good ones, no, but I still placed a dramatic hand on my forehead, "Oh my gosh. I must be having a dream."

 _More like a nightmare._ I thought to myself, and I couldn't help but snicker. That earned me slight raised eyebrows from both men standing close enough to hear, but I just put an innocent look on my face. Jace seemed to know what I was thinking though, because I could see his eyes darken.

"Well, it's a privilege to mentor a pretty girl like you." He complimented, and, to the normal eye, it sounded sincere, but I could hear the sarcastic note, "Would you like to come inside?" He asked, making a grand gesture toward the house.

"That would be great." I replied, following him as he led me up the driveway and through the door. The second I crossed the threshold, my jaw dropped, because it was absolutely beautiful. When I looked up, my eyes landed on a chandelier that I would die for, and most of the interior was hardwood. I was jealous to say the least since this was basically my dream house already.

"Well," Ryan's voice startled me, and I whipped around, my trance broken. He wasn't facing me though, instead staring straight into the camera, "We'll allow these two to explore on their own, so tune in for more later. Finally, the cameras were put down, and both Jace and I turned away from the other people and toward each other. Our smiles immediately dropped.

"Well." Jace gritted his teeth, trying to sound happy for the sake of the others in the room, "Why don't we take a look around." I simply nodded so I wouldn't snap at him, and, to my surprise, he took my hand in his own. Contrary to when people probably would think, his grip wasn't light and gentle. No, he squeezed like he was trying to break my bones. I quickened my pace as he started to walk so he wasn't totally dragging me, and we ascended the grand stairwell.

Neither of us spoke for a while as he yanked me quickly down the halls, not giving me even a second to stop and admire what was around me. I honestly felt like a dog on a leash, so you can imagine my more-than-slight frustration. After what seemed like an eternity of awkwardly walk-jogging on my part, I was pulled into a room, and that started our glare-off. We stood there, eyes locked for the longest time, but it wasn't in a good way - not at all. I refused to be the one to break it, forcing me to observe my surroundings out of the corners of my eyes, which was pretty much impossible seeing as my vision was clouded with rage.

"You." I finally seethed, breaking the silence, "Of all the people that could've mentored me for my _dream_ , it has to be _you_." His jaw clenched, and he honestly looked like a was about to punch me. Then, he closed his eyes for a second, collecting himself. When he opened them, they shined with something I didn't like, something evil.

"I like you." He stated, and I stepped back in shock, then I shuddered.

"Don't even think for a second that I'll-"

"You don't have to worry about that." He offered a cocky, dismissive wave of his hand, "Not after your little stunt, no. What I mean is that I like you for entertainment… A different kind." His smile resembled a shark baring its teeth, and I clenched my fists.

"And what, exactly, do you mean by _entertainment?"_ I spat out the last word like it tasted bad in my mouth, which was frankly true.

"You're feisty." He started advancing on me, and I began taking unintentional steps backwards, "You don't worship me." I could tell that one was hard for him to say, so it was funny to see his face change. That is, until my back hit the wall, allowing him to cage me in with his arms. Did I feel tingles? No. Was I becoming breathless? No. Was I ready to smack off that stupid smirk that spread across his face once again? Hell yes, "But I know deep down inside…" Just when our noses were centimeters from colliding, he averted his path, instead bringing his lips to my ear, "You want me." My jaw dropped as I processed his words, but, before I could do anything, he'd tweaked my nose and was at the door, "Welcome to your new bedroom by the way." He winked, then he was gone.

 _Deep breaths, Clary._ I reminded myself when everything had finally gotten through my thick skull, _Take ten_. I instructed myself, trying to relax my muscles, _One… Two… Three… Screw it._ I was done. I was going to put that boy in his place, because I was not ready to deal with an arrogant asshole for the entirety of this show. I stormed into the hall, out for blood, then I halted completely, looking from side to side. Before, I had been too focused on Jace to watch where we had gone, so now, I had absolutely no idea where I was.

 _There goes that plan_.

I muttered curses to myself as I turned around, marching into my new room and making it a point to slam the door behind me. Pacing back and forth, I wondered what in the world to do about this thing. I _could_ get over my little problem with Jace, suck it up, and deal with him, but I wasn't that rational. Or, I _could_ make it a point to put him in his place whenever I was able to, possibly risking pissing of a _very_ rich and _very_ powerful musician who basically had my future in his hands. Of course, being me, I chose that option. The question was: How would I do it?

My mind was on overload, and I wasn't exactly ready to deal with that right now, so I walked over to the bed, flopping down on my back. I took a second just to let everything soak in. I was _actually_ going to be working with a _professional singer_ to get _my music_ produced. Ignoring the fact that the singer was the one and only Jace Herondale, this was the opportunity of a lifetime. It was something I couldn't throw away for the sake of an arrogant, big-headed jerk, so I had to suck it up and deal with him.

I had a feeling that I wouldn't be so "entertaining" to him pretty soon though.

"It's Herondale." Was what I greeted Isabelle with when she picked up the phone, and I was met with absolute silence on the other end, "Hello?" I was wondering if I had lost her, that is, until I heard a slew of noises shrieked in my ear. I winced, pulling the phone away while she got it all out. It took what seemed like forever for her to quiet down, so when she did, I was extremely grateful, "You done?"

"You, Clary Fray, are working with _the_ Jace Herondale?" Izzy sounded like she almost didn't believe me, "Can I come over, like, now?" I snorted, not even justifying her response with a reply. All of a sudden, she broke out laughing, but I didn't know why, so I waited for her fit to end. Finally, it stopped, "Oh my god." She was still giggling, but at least it was softly, "This is great. It's your _dream_ opportunity, and now you have to work on it with the one artist you hate with a burning passion?"

"My thoughts exactly." I grumbled, "It could've been _anyone else_ , but no. It had to be _Herondale?"_ I let out a loud noise of frustration, but it was okay, because I was alone in my room, just like I had been since I'd gotten here. In my defense, I had no idea where everything was. Needless to say, Herondale's "tour" hadn't been very helpful, so I was basically stranded until someone came for me.

"Well I have some news for you that might cheer you up." Isabelle's voice was hopeful, and I waited for her to speak again, "Drumroll please…" I simply rolled my eyes, "All of us are renting an apartment and staying in LA while you're there!" My jaw dropped, and a jumbled response that even I couldn't understand escaped my mouth, "You alright there?" She chuckled, clearly amused by my reaction.

"Hell yes!" I yelled, literally jumping up and down. I wouldn't be alone! There would be someone to help me hide Herondale's body once I killed him. Very slowly. With a variety of weapons-

Okay, I really needed to stop the musings. It wasn't healthy to dream of fantasies that wouldn't come true. Then again, my dream as a musician had become real, so maybe, if I wished hard enough, murder would become legal. _Then_ , I could murder him and take his fortune all for myself.

"What the _actual hell_ , Clary?" Isabelle's voice brought me back to reality, "No, you will _not_ kill Jace Herondale very slowly with a variety of weapons." I blushed at the fact that I'd actually spoken my thoughts, then I pouted when I realized she wasn't on board. Jonathan might be, but then, Simon and Izzy would make sure that _we_ ended up six feet under if our plan was successful.

"Fine." I grumbled, "I won't hurt your _precious_ Jace Herondale." Even though she couldn't see me, I stuck my tongue out, and I heard her snort.

"I've gotta go!" I frowned when I realized how quick our conversation had been. I'd definitely expected Iz to question be a _lot_ more when she found out just who I was living with, but instead, she was leaving me. Alone and afraid to fend for myself against the beast that was Herondale. I voiced as much, and I could almost _hear_ her roll her eyes, "We're on the plane, drama queen." She added, obviously entertained. Normally, I would've scoffed at _Isabelle Lightwood_ calling _me_ dramatic, but as of now, I was way too shocked.

"What?!" I yelled when I'd regained the ability to form words, then quickly realized that someone might hear me, "You guys are coming _already?"_ I spoke considerably softer, trying to contain my excitement, but I felt just as amazing as I had when I'd met Brendon Urie… In my dream. I was pulled back to reality by the sound of an airport announcement leaking through the phone, and I squealed.

"Okay, I really have to hang up now." Isabelle whispered, "The flight attendant is glaring at me. Everyone says hi and we love you!"

"Hi and I love you guys too!" I exclaimed, then the line went dead. After making another noise too high-pitched to be human-like, I cradled my phone to my chest. They were _coming_. I fell back onto the bed, relief coursing through my veins. Comfort swelled my heart at the realization that I would have the biggest pieces of home just minutes away, that I wouldn't just be thrust in the middle of yet another big city, that I wouldn't be stuck with You-Know-Who without anyone by my side. At that moment, I honestly could've cried.

"Hey!" Someone yelled, scaring the daylights out of me. I sat up to be met with the sight of Jace Herondale in my doorway, his trademark smirk on his face, "Dinner is ready." As if on cue, my stomach growled, and I couldn't help the pink tint on my cheeks. Herondale snorted unattractively, and my lips tipped down at the corners, glancing behind him to make sure there were no cameras. When I determined I was safe, I flipped him off, offering a sarcastic smile, "Do you not want to eat?" He taunted, raising an eyebrow. A single eyebrow. My face fell into a frown once again, because for some reason, I wasn't physically capable of doing that. If one eyebrow went up, the other followed. They were horribly codependent.

"It's about time." I muttered, rising to my feet and pushing past him. I started walking purposefully down the hall, head held high. That was when I realized I had no idea where I was going, and I turned around to see Herondale biting his lip to contain his laughter. After a moment of silence, he couldn't keep it at bay anymore, doubling over and clutching his stomach. I stomped back over to him, and I crossed my arms indignantly as I waited for him to finish.

"The dining room is that way." He regained his composure and pointed in the opposite direction of where I'd gone. I mumbled curses under my breath as he started in the _right_ direction, about to rip his head off when he turned to me with a self-righteous grin, "Just wanted to make sure you're going where you're actually supposed to." His voice and expression were innocent, but he was given away by a snicker that he couldn't hold in. Suddenly, his hand was pressed on my lower back, guiding me, and I was about to shove him away when he leaned down, placing his lips next to my ear, "Cameras." He whispered softly, making it seem like he'd said something sweet and sensual. I barely resisted the urge to crinkle my nose in disgust at his closeness, purely for the sake of the people who would be watching the show.

When my eyes landed on the long, wooden table in front of me, I gasped. It was covered in enough food to feed an army, and it wasn't stuff like the crappy microwave ramen noodles I was used to. No, there was steak and fish and chicken and god I had never seen so much good food at once in my life. My mouth watered at the sight, and I sucked in the wonderful smell.

"You're drooling." Herondale teased, and I wiped my face, only to find that he had - in fact - been kidding.

 _And you're ugly_. I wanted to retort, even though I knew it wasn't true, but there were cameras everywhere, so I had to bite my tongue. I took a deep breath, shooting him a sickly sweet smile before I walked to a chair. He rushed over to it, arriving before me, and a part of me thought he would take it just to spite me. Instead, he pulled it out, gesturing for me to sit. I did as he motioned, surprised he was capable of being kind to me. Then again, it was probably instinct to charm girls until he got them in-

 _Bad Clarissa._ I scolded myself, even though I wasn't picturing myself as one of them, _Bad thoughts._ I couldn't help but throw up a little in my mouth at the mere notion of having any sort of unnecessary contact with him. The thought made me shiver in horror.

"So." Herondale's voice pulled me out of my daze, and for once, I was glad he'd interrupted my thoughts, "Tell me about yourself." As I started to answer in the most vague way possible…

I had the strongest feeling that this would turn into the dinner from hell.

 **SO THAT WAS THAT. Okay, I have to admit that I seriously have no idea where I'm going with this story. I mean, I have a** ** _general_** **idea, and I'm pretty psyched about that, but the details… Hehe… Let's just say that they're "To be determined". I** ** _also_** **have to admit that it was the same way with The Bachelor. I just kinda rolled with the punches and it turned out pretty great, so trust me on this one!**

 **Question of the Chapter: Would you rather go to a Broadway musical or a sports game? You have 10 seconds. Go.**

 **Love you, my faithfuls!**

 **Sincerely,**

 **Shadowhunter5801**

 **PS I would totally put a heart, but fanfiction deletes the "less than" sign for some reason *cries***

 **PPS We've already hit 95 followers in three chapters ohmygod…**


	5. Chapter 5

**SO I AM BACK! I am _so_ sorry I've been so MIA. I've been writing a book-as in a real, original book-and I've had a deadline that I had to meet. Luckily...I DID IT! So, I'll probably be updating more frequently (hallelujah). I've honestly missed writing fanfiction, like, a lot. ANYWAYS, the story shall continue. This chapter is a filler, so it's fairly uneventful, but I need it to _plant the seed!_ MWAHAHAHAHA. (If you're wondering, it's the seed that shall grow the Clace tree of life. I think you'll catch where it is. It's pretty obvious. If you don't get it, I'll be pretty concerned.) Sorry, sorry, I tend to ramble. Welp, I'm done now. YOU SHALL GO ON!**

* * *

 _"_ _Just give in." Herondale's face was now inches from mine. My heart beat faster, almost to the point of pounding out of my chest, "Come on, Fray." He whispered, voice low and husky, "Say it for me." My mouth bobbed open and closed, and I tried keeping it shut to no avail, "Just say it."_

 _Then, I couldn't hold back anymore, so I whispered what he wanted to hear._

 **10 Minutes Earlier**

 _I had the strongest feeling that this would turn into the dinner from hell._

"Uh…" I wracked my brain for the most shallow response possible that could also be interpreted as polite. After settling on the fact that _It's none of your damn business_ wouldn't exactly be adored by the public, I had drawn a total blank. Herondale raised an eyebrow, and the stupidest jealousy rose up in me. I was absolutely incapable of lifting only one eyebrow, plain and simple, so needless to say, I envied him for having that ability, "I'm a New Yorker, born and raised…" _I hate your music and every single thing about you._

 _Polite, Clary. Polite._

"I like Panic! at the Disco and Fall Out Boy-"

"What about me?" The arrogant blonde cut me off, and I knew what was going on in that pea-sized brain of his. He _knew_ how I had to answer, so he was having fun with it. Honestly, I was tempted say my true feelings and see how it would pan out, but I knew I would just look like a totally ungrateful brat. So I forced a smile and did what had to be done.

"I _love_ your music." My voice dripped with sweetness that both Jace and I knew was fake, "You seem like an _amazing_ and _down to earth_ type of guy." My underlying sarcasm was clear to the two of us, but judging by the encouraging grin Ryan Seacrest was giving us from the sidelines, neither he nor the cameramen picked it up. Hopefully, the entirety of America would be fooled by my facade too. Jace's cockiness seemed to falter, and I resisted the urge to snort.

"Well, you seem like a _sweet_ and _beautiful_ girl." He countered, and I gritted my teeth, trying to keep up my mask of happiness, "Oh!" He jumped up like he'd remembered something, "I forgot to pour you some wine." Of course, in that moment, I was a total idiot and didn't see anything coming, so all I did was narrow my eyes as Jace picked up my glass the bottle of Merlot. When he held it suspiciously close to me, I thought nothing of it. That is, until the drink _conveniently_ and _completely_ missed the glass and poured onto my top. My favorite, _white,_ top. My jaw dropped, and I whipped to face Ryan, whose expression mirrored mine. Apparently, I wasn't the only one who could tell the _mishap_ was intentional.

"Oh hell no." I gritted softly through clenched teeth, and when I turned to him, I could tell he was trying to hold back laughter.

"I'm so sorry." He said innocently. To an outsider, it sounded like he truly regretted it, but I could see the triumph burning in his golden irises, "Here, let me…" He set down the bottle and glass and grabbed a napkin, aiming to dab at my top, but I grasped his wrist in a bone crushing grip. When he winced, a spark of pride welled up in me, but it was quickly put out when I recalled our situation. I took deep breaths, trying to keep my cool. Sadly, I was never the rational type. That was my only reasoning for what I did next.

I swiped a spoon, scooping some mashed potatoes like nothing was wrong as Jace stared at me, obviously confused by my reaction, or rather lack thereof. Then, instead of putting it on my plate like any normal person would've done, I rose to my feet, smashing it onto his face.

"Oops." I smiled in mock apology, and his hands immediately balled up into fists. It was a strong indication that, had I been a guy, he would've punched me out by now. He uncurled one for the sole purpose of wiping the food away, which fell in clumps on what must've been a freakishly expensive rug. Jace looked like he was trying to keep his composure, but was failing miserably. When his gaze clashed with mine in a fiery blaze, I knew I'd started something that wasn't about to be stopped.

With that thought in mind, I sprinted around the table, making sure to keep the piece of furniture in between us. Jace finally snapped, and he bypassed formalities as he grabbed stuffing from the turkey (Who had a turkey that looked like it was for freaking _Thanksgiving_ for a regular dinner?) and hurled it at me. I ducked, barely dodging it, and it hit the wall behind me. I let out a breath of relief, but I was distracted for too long, because before I could react, Herondale was right in front of me. He grabbed my arm, hauling me to my feet. Before I could even say a not-so-kind _Screw you_ , his fingers were jabbing into my sides. I just about had a conniption as all thought was rendered useless. He tickled me mercilessly, and I tried to hold back my laughter—I really did—but it just wasn't happening. When he finally stopped and wrapped an arm around my waist, I only had one mantra repeating in my head over and over:

 _You can't cuss on national television._

I attempted to wiggle out of his hold, but it was useless, so I was completely at his disposal. My gut was starting to ache, and all of a sudden, it all stopped. For a second, I stared at him in confusion, wondering how in the world I got off that easy, considering I'd probably embarrassed him on what would no doubt be aired on TV. Then, my question was answered as he backed me into a wall. I brought up a hand to slap off the damn shit-eating grin on his face, but he caught me midair. When I raised the other one, he grabbed that too, leaving me defenseless.

I was still breathing hard from both the tickling and my rage, and Jace was doing the same. My jaw clenched as his trademark smirk formed on his face. He was no doubt enjoying every second of this, so naturally, I had to do something. I just didn't know what. My first instinct was to knee him where the sun don't shine, but when I risked a glance at the cameras, I realized that wasn't an option.

"Oh Clary." He chirped, and I refocused on him with a glare, "Just say please, and this'll all be over." It was an unspoken battle of wills. He wanted me to give in. He wanted to prove that _he_ was the one in control. I was angry—so, so angry—but I also wanted it to stop. I didn't want him so close to me, because this was honestly extremely uncomfortable for me. Him being within a mile of me was horrible, much less being just a foot away. He stepped closer, eliminating even more of the small space in between us, then he shifted both of my wrists to one hand. Not even a second later, they were pinned on the wall above my head.

"Just give in." Herondale's face was now inches from mine. My heart beat faster, almost to the point of pounding out of my chest, "Come on, Fray." He whispered, voice low and husky, "Say it for me." My mouth bobbed open and closed, and I tried keeping it shut to no avail, "Just say it."

Then, I couldn't hold back anymore, so I whispered what he wanted to hear.

"Please." The word came out strained, but not for the reason every girl in America would have. No, it was because, if I said it any louder, I would scream purely for the satisfaction of blowing his eardrums up. For what seemed like an eternity, he didn't move a single bit, and I suppressed the urge to stomp on his foot, "I said _please_." I hissed, the venom I'd tried to hold back oh-so-hard leaking into my voice. Then, he laughed—a deep, rich laugh—finally releasing me. I frowned at him, trying to burn holes in his head with my eyes. Needless to say, it didn't work, which greatly disappointed me.

I hated to admit it, but the score was…

Jace-1; Clary-0

"Rise and shine!" The yell caused me to shoot up to a sitting position, consequently making me slam heads with its origin. I groaned, as did Jace, but it was his fault, so he shouldn't be making any noise. My glare communicated as much, but the smug smile didn't leave his face even through his sound of pain. I rubbed my forehead, a frown firmly set on my lips, "What do they say about smiling taking less strength than frowning?" Herondale tapped his chin in mock thought. I greatly resisted the urge to slap him, but that boy had a special way of flipping my bitch switch.

"What, exactly, has you waking me up at the break of dawn on a…" I wracked my brain for the name of the day we were on. Needless to say, I wasn't fully awake, but I was almost sure it ended in a 'y'. Almost. He didn't answer, simply offering a condescending snort, and my jaw clenched. Since he wasn't going to be any help, I grabbed my phone off the nightstand, checking the time. Suddenly, I realized just _why_ he'd snorted, and I tried to keep the blush from lighting up my cheeks. It was 11 o'clock. And it was Monday, "Damn." I muttered under my breath, knowing I was completely out of luck on this one.

"So what was that about the 'break of dawn'?" Of _course_ he had to throw in air quotes, because he obviously wanted to make this the worst thing possible for me. That was when I realized that there were no cameras around, so I didn't feel a pinch of regret as I smacked the back of his head. I had the great satisfaction of seeing his jaw drop and his eyes widen. It was highly likely that no one had ever stood up to him—much less _hit_ him—before, so it made me feel special that I was his _first_.

 _Okay, Clary. We need to stop with the dirty references. This is not healthy._

"It _is_ the break of dawn _somewhere_ in the world." I came up with the lame excuse on the spot, but Jace didn't seem to hear me, obviously still in a state of shock, "Hello?" I waved a hand in front of his face, and that seemed to snap him out of his daze. The second a sparkle glimmered in his eyes, I shot to my feet. I could tell what was going on in his practically hollow head. He was going to get back at me in probably the worst way possible. My greatest weakness. Okay, not my _greatest_ , because chocolate came first. Then food in general. Then Liam Hemsworth. So maybe it was a little farther down the list than first implied, but you get the gist.

"You just made the wrong choice, Clare Bear." He growled, and my face scrunched up in disgust. Of all people, _he_ was not allowed to call me Clare Bear. Actually, if I had it my way, he wouldn't be calling me any name at all, because he would be on the other side of the nation. Better yet, the other side of the planet. Ed Sheeran would be my mentor, and-

I had been lost in thought for _way_ too long, because Herondale was suddenly right in front of me. Like I said before, I needed to stop the musings. Bad. It was far too late though, since his arms were wrapped around my waist. I squeaked as he threw me back on the bed with ease. Not even a second later, he was poised above me, straddling my hips and somehow pinning my legs with his. I tried my hardest to keep my arms crossed over my chest in a pathetic attempt to protect myself, but it was no use as he pried them away, yet again using one hand to trap my wrists above my head. HIs other hand gently ran down my arm, coming to a stop at my cheek. I squirmed uselessly, but he only smirked, softly brushing my lips with his fingertips.

I am embarrassed beyond belief to admit that my breath caught in my throat. What can I say though? I had a… what were the words I used?… _aesthetically pleasing_ guy _right above me_ and doing _this_ to me. My damn hormones were raging, and my brain was obviously disconnected from my body as I stopped moving. Rather than struggling anymore, I was just staring into his eyes.

 _Damn._ My traitorous mind whispered, _They really are gold._

 _What the actual_ hell _, Clarissa Adele Fray? Were you bodysnatched by a preteen?_

His smirk became more defined, almost like he knew exactly what was going on in my brain. He _couldn't_ though, because I wasn't that obvious. Okay, I _hoped_ I wasn't that obvious, but I couldn't tell at this point, because the only things I could see were the brown flecks in his irises. I found my bottom lip catching in between my teeth, and I didn't miss the way he quickly glanced down. What was even going _on_ at this point? After a while of staying frozen in that position, Jace lowered his head until his forehead rested on mine. I swallowed hard, suddenly hit with the smell of… Mangos? It was frankly amazing, and what was I _doing?!_

"Maybe the fact that you want me isn't so deep down." He murmured, and it took a second for the words to register. When they did, it was like ice cold water was poured on me. Ironic, seeing as I had done the same to him. Except literally, not figuratively. Karma's a bitch.

"Get _off_ of me." I growled, realizing that it wasn't just a hot guy I was looking at. It was _Jace Herondale_. The star that I hated with a burning passion. They guy that probably slept with more girls than I could count.

"I don't think you really want me to." Now, I was able to hear the arrogance in his voice, and it was a major turn-off. I made a noise of exasperation, wiggling around as I tried to get out of his hold. It wasn't working though, seeing as he was much, _much_ stronger than me. It was clear that I wouldn't be released until he wanted me to be, but that didn't mean I wouldn't try my hardest. Amusement shined in his eyes, and, had it not been for the fact that he would make a noise that would no doubt attract camera attention, I would've kneed him in the family jewels. Even then, I was seriously considering the option. All he was doing was staring at me with a raised eyebrow and chuckling softly.

"Dammit Herondale." I hissed, "Let. Me. Go." He tilted his head to the side, taking his sweet time to decide what to do. I huffed out an angry sigh, starting to get extremely uncomfortable. This wasn't the ideal first day of my dream coming true. Not at all. Of course my phone had to ring right as he started shifting away, and his head snapped its way. A devious smile lit up his face, "Don't you dare." I hissed, but I knew he would do it anyways. He reached out with his free hand, grabbing my cell.

"Isabelle Lightwood." He read the caller ID, and my heart stopped. Dear lord there was no way this could end well. I knew exactly what conclusion Izzy would jump to first, and I had the gut feeling that Jace would just egg her on, purely to see me suffer.

"Please." I never in a million years thought I would say that word to Herondale _once_ , much less _twice._ Albeit, this time it wasn't forced, but this time, it was more important, "Don't pick up that call." Jace just let out a maniacal laugh before pressing the answer button then putting it on speaker.

"Hey, Clary!" Iz didn't wait for a greeting before talking, "We're here at the house and getting settled in!" There was a pause as neither Jace nor I spoke, "Clare?" That seemed to snap him into action. I opened my mouth to say _something_ , but he dropped the phone on the bed and slammed his hand over it before I could get a sound out, "Hello?" My best friend dragged out the 'o', and I jerked my head from side to side, trying to set myself free. It wasn't working.

"Jace Herondale speaking."An impossible amount of cockiness was contained in those three words. My tongue reluctantly darted out as I tried to gross him out enough to let me go. All he did was—surprise, surprise—raise his motherfreaking eyebrow. A jumbled mess of loud, unintelligible noises blasted through the speakers, and Jace outright laughed. For a minute, that was the only sound while Izzy was no doubt gaining her bearings.

"Hey." Her voice was about an octave too high as she said her first word to her biggest celebrity crush. Simon was going to _kill_ me for letting this happen. Then again, I hadn't _let_ it happen. I was totally at Herondale's mercy, but those words would never escape my mouth. Actually, as of now, _no_ words would be escaping my mouth, "I'm such a big fan!" Oh dear lord, she was going to make his head even bigger than it already was. Then again, that was probably impossible.

"Thank you." His voice was as smooth as could be, a grateful note in it that I knew was fake. He already had an idea of how _absolutely amazing_ he was, so Izzy telling him wasn't exactly a big deal, "So, Isabelle Lightwood…" His smirk became more defined, and I cursed the day he'd been born. He hesitated, for once thinking about what he was going to say. Well, that was a first, but right now, it was not appreciated, "I learned a _lot_ about Clary last night." I winced at the sound of Isabelle coughing up a lung. This was _exactly_ what I'd both expected and dreaded. Needless to say, I would be in a crap ton of trouble if I didn't nip this in the bud.

"You _what?"_ Isabelle choked out, apparently over her gushing. Of course, this would be the one thing to snap her out of it. She could've stayed all dopey over him, but no. That would _never_ happen, because I _clearly_ had no luck on my side. At all. Finally, something occurred to me, and I smirked. Herondale looked my way, most likely having felt my lips curve. Then, I made my move. I bit down on his hand. Hard. He let out a yelp of pain, immediately drawing it back, and I jumped up. I snatched the phone, making a break for it as he stared after me, yet again too stunned to know what to do.

"Isabelle!" Was it sad that I was getting breathless after about five seconds of running? I think so. I was about to continue what I was saying when her shrill voice cut me off.

"What the actual _hell,_ Clarissa Adele Fray?!" She shrieked, and I cringed as I rounded another corner. I was starting to hear the sound of pursuing footsteps, so I pushed myself harder, ignoring the fact that I had no idea where I was going.

"He's…lying…not…true." I got out between my panting. Wow, I really needed to hit the gym, "Woke…me up…got phone…running." The sentence made almost no sense, but I was confident that Izzy would get the message. Having been friends for nearly all our lives, we were able to translate pretty well. The other side of the phone was silent for a second, and I almost thought she'd hung up until I heard her sigh. It was a mix between disappointed and disbelieving, the latter scaring the heck out of me. The words Isabelle Lightwood and keeping secrets did not belong in the same sentence unless 'cannot' was in between them. I loved the girl to death, but she was usually incapable of keeping her mouth shut. This would mean that Simon would find out, then Simon, the Alec, then—if I hadn't been so focused on sprinting, I would've shivered—Jonothan. Now _that_ would end bad.

Then again, my brother beating the crap out of Jace Herondale was a pretty pleasant image. It was so pleasant that I toyed with the idea of leading Izzy on until right after it happened. I reluctantly dismissed the thought, considering the fact that assault charges would most likely be pressed. As much as I wanted the entertainment, I would rather Jon not end up behind bars.

"I feel like _you're_ the one-" Before Isabelle could finish her sentence, I crashed into something I hadn't seen as I turned into a different hall. My phone went flying, and Ryan Seacrest and I both fell flat on the ground. I immediately scrambled to my feet, offering him a hand. He took it, miraculously still smiling.

"I am so, so sorry." I apologized, the call with Izzy forgotten. My face was probably camouflaged with my hair out of embarrassment, but he waved me off. In the crash, the reason I'd been running fled my mind. That is, until I felt a presence right behind me. I cursed under my breath, knowing I had to face the music. My eyes were closed tightly as I turned around, but I opened them after Jace cleared his throat. That was when I realized something that seemed to hit him at the same time.

He couldn't say _anything_ right now. We were _supposed_ to like each other, and we couldn't even risk it off camera, because this was a reality show. That meat Ryan would be compelled to tell the public every little detail. I had a feeling that Jace would rather not look like an asshole on live television—well, more of an asshole than he already was—and I sure didn't want to seem like a brat. For once, rather than working in his favor, it was working in mine. I crossed my arms, staring at him with a smug smile on my face. He grinned with a facade of lightheartedness, but I could see the fire burning in his eyes.

Jace 1; Clary 1

(But it wasn't like I was keeping score or anything. Not at all.)

* * *

 **Totally Clary, not keeping score. You're not convincing anyone. ;) Okay, so I have a little thing I want you guys to do (if you want) on any given chapter: Review who you think will win in the end, because we all know that Clary won't let a competition go _that_ easily. Also, we have our question of the chapter (that I'm literally coming up with on the spot)... Um... AHA! GOT IT!**

 **What is your _absolute favorite_ moment in the series. Like top moment ever. (As of now, I think it's the "Alec+Pie=I'm not your bitch" part for me. That made me laugh)**

 **And also, for those of you who read The Bachelor, I want to thank you for sticking with me through that. I don't know _why_ you did as I look back at it, considering the many, _many_ grammatical errors that plague the whole thing. And the plot holes. And just... *shivers*. It got better at the end, so thank you all for waiting. It was a true journey for me, and all of you were along for the ride. You kept me going, and we ended up on page one (according to follows). We also hit 500 favorites in my absence. So... Yeah... I guess that's it!  
**

 **With love to all of my faithful followers...**

 **-Shadowhunter5801**


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